Gronkle is accepting of the shield, and will keep it. He only hopes his beloved hammer doesn't get jealous.'Nothing can cause a rift between a dorf and his hammer quite like a saucy shield' He bemoans to some of the other militia dorfs.

Gloomy requests the chance to make Cheesecloth into an undead servant. No one has any idea why though.

Request OP. Nothing can repel fire of that magnitude.

Gloomy has been whispering into the ears of any passing dwarf in as creepy a manner as he can, that: 'Cheesecloth the Zombie would be a force to be reckoned with.' before wiggling his fingers at them and rushing off, cackling like a madman.

It seems claiming their fortress alerted them to the presence of our tower, and they've come to do battle.

"RELEASE THE UNDEAD!" I heard them shout -- the forgotten beast!

Unforuntely, its performance was... underwhelming, to say the least. It did manage to kill a dwarf, though, so there is hope yet!

A healthy group of them collected themselves in the chamber, so we smashed a handful.

Then we sent the militia out, which managed to take care of the rest without losing a single dwarf. There were some serious injuries in the squad, but it seems everyone made it out alive.

We considered raising their dead corpses, but decided to dump these in magma for the time being. We'll try and work out a way to catch and kill invaders such that their corpses remain intact, and can be raised most effectively.

11th of Felsite, Year 414

We managed to capture a giant cave spider -- a massive creature capable of spitting and spinning webs. This may make it easy to capture massive beasts who otherwise avoid our traps. We'll need to think carefully about how we want to use it.

We may wait until we have a breeding pair -- that way accidents don't result in us losing our tool.

23rd of Slate, Year 414

One of the dwarves got stuck outside with a were-bear this full moon. You'd think they'd learn not to wander outside this time of month.

Our wrestling training seemed to have paid off quite a bit... until it didn't.

Pundik was a positive soul, if nothing else.

23rd of Slate, Year 414

We've more or less abandoned the old fortress, shut off the waterfall, and cleaned out the stores. We've moved everything to the tower, or to the dungeons just below it.

We have an incredible overabundance of food we store in the caverns, and in chambers leading up to the common dining area (for the workers).

Just above that is the sleeping chambers. We've taken Gloomy's artifact floodgate and installed it -- we intend to fill the outer chamber with water so that we can flood the lower levels in emergencies.

And requests that we remove any windows from any barracks.He specifies further, that if there is no barracks, we should build one. And If there -is- one, without windows already, we must construct windows, for the express purpose of removing them. When asked why, he simply responds 'Windows are the eyes to the soul, and we can't have anyone seeing that, can we?!' Before bumbling off to polish his hammer.

On the Militia Commander's orders we've made a few changes in the soon-to-be new training area.

Malachite 6-7, we punched holes in the walls; Malachite 7-8, we installed basic windows; Malachite 10-11, we promptly removed those windows; and today, the 11th of Malachite, we installed sturdy walls in their place.

Gloomy requests the chance to make Cheesecloth into an undead servant. No one has any idea why though.

Request OP. Nothing can repel fire of that magnitude.

Gloomy has been whispering into the ears of any passing dwarf in as creepy a manner as he can, that: 'Cheesecloth the Zombie would be a force to be reckoned with.' before wiggling his fingers at them and rushing off, cackling like a madman.

Cheesecloth's body was torn from her coffin and taken to the chamber. We gave it our best shot, but to no avail.

It seems the "mangled partial 'Cheesecloth' skeleton" was too mangled and partial to reanimate. That fall from the tree was... substantial, to say the least.

Gloomy is slightly less grumpy now that he has a disgusting reanimated head. The other dwarves can be heard complaining about Gloomy every now and then and how he has been taking it for walks around the tower in the dead of night.

Alas, Cheesecloth, you will be missed. I mean, by me and Gloomy, but not anyone else in particular. Man, mine die in truly interesting ways. I am a fickle goddess!

Can I have a girl named Truthfishes? I'd like her to be a fisher, but I am fairly certain you guys are surviving almost solely on cavern creatures?

I'd actually really like her to be a hand-to-hand wrestler in that wrestling pit full-time, and otherwise unemployed, since you guys are rolling in dough and crundles and don't really need her to work. I think I just want to see what she does when left to her own devices. Perhaps she will accidentally become a necromancer or something.

Alas, Cheesecloth, you will be missed. I mean, by me and Gloomy, but not anyone else in particular. Man, mine die in truly interesting ways. I am a fickle goddess!

Can I have a girl named Truthfishes? I'd like her to be a fisher, but I am fairly certain you guys are surviving almost solely on cavern creatures?

I'd actually really like her to be a hand-to-hand wrestler in that wrestling pit full-time, and otherwise unemployed, since you guys are rolling in dough and crundles and don't really need her to work. I think I just want to see what she does when left to her own devices. Perhaps she will accidentally become a necromancer or something.

Another beast -- there are so many at this point I may stop reporting on them unless they cause some damage, or are of particular note.

It turns out the "poisonous gas" we saw was in fact some sort of numbing agent. We hope that the vision loss iis temporary, but the sensory nerve damage sticks. Gronkle would be quite the warrior, unable to feel pain.

17th of Timber, Year 414

Today was an eventful day.

While slightly difficult to see under the trees, we've engineered a wall that can be raised and lowered at will.

We've noticed that when the land creatures are around, the sea creatures aren't, or they avoid our traps. So, we decided it was best if we try and stop land creatures from coming into our swamp.

We're working to attach the mechanisms to a lever so we can raise and lower it at will.

In no less interesting news, Melbil, one of the necromancers, had another child today. That brings her total up to 5 -- if I remember correctly, 2 before, and 3 after learning the secrets of life and death. Included Truthfishes.

1st of Moonstone, Year 414

We have a pair of dwarves causing trouble -- one in particular, a performer, has started a few fist fights. We've decided its time for some dwarven justice, so Gronkle has been made Sheriff Gronkle.

He immediately sentenced the performer to a beating, and... well, it seems like he enjoyed it.

He left a serious mess in the temple. That would be an actual pool of dwarf blood. We'll need to send a cleaning crew.

2nd of Moonstone, Year 414

Turns out Sheriff Gronkle beat the performer so bad that he died. Perhaps another strike against fortress-wide wrestling training.

Oh well. At least he isn't tantruming anymore -- he is the only violent offender in the fortress.

6th of Moonstone, Year 414

Frustratingly, we've had to put our work on the swamp-wide wall on hold. Those fucking dwarves are here again.

To make matters worse, somehow Zan, one of the necromancers, and another citizen managed to blow a fucking hole in the barracks walls while sparring, and then fall MANY stories to the beach.

The other citizen died, while Zan is holding on by a thread of unlife.

The enemy got to them before we did. Zan took a healthy beating before getting cut to pieces with an axe. We took the opportunity to smash a few of the dwarves with the bridge.

22nd of Moonstone, Year 414

The swamps have frozen over for winter. We've decided to just wait out the siege, and see what the winter brings these idiot dwarves. They're wandering around a great deal.

3rd of Opal, Year 414

That abominable smoke caught the dwarves today. It's not lethal, as per our experiments, but it has covered them in nasty wounds. At the least it'll likely really affect their moral.

13th of Opal, Year 414

We're putting the finishing touches on the auxillary tower, and we've placed the Sherrif's office in it -- the first door in the tavern!

Should be a good place for it.

We've also turned two floors into actual dungeons -- these two have bars of black bronze, cinnabar doors, and nice furniture. It may be nice, but it sure is spooky looking!

The third jail cell (Sherrif Grokle demanded three) will be made of silver. We're out of black bronze. Plans are set for it, though the furniture is taking some time to haul.

We've also started putting items on display around the fortress -- we have a lot of artifacts I've never made entries about, because they were un-notable, or made by otherwise boring dwarves. This should serve to boost moods, and the value of our tower.

We've placed some weapons and armor in the barracks, as an example.

6th of Obsidian, Year 414

The guard thought it would be a good idea to release our werebear today. It's a full moon, and if it can just bite ONE of the dwarves, the next full moon they should tear each other apart.

Unfortunately they were able to put it down before it could get a bite in. Fortunately, we don't have to worry about that werebear anymore.

1st of Granite, Year 415

Today is the start of the new year -- spring of our 10th year here. We may be under siege, but it's giving us time to work on the tower.

Once the siege is lifted, we'll be able to finish our wall. Hopefully that means our fishing projects can get off the ground.

One of the necromancer's children created something... well... extraordinary.

We'll save these for a warrior who has earned them!

6th of slate, Year 415

One of the scholars was found dead in the tavern -- looks like alcohol poisoning... which takes a lot of alcohol.

It's dwarven tradition for tavern keepers to just force drinks on people, so I'm surprised it took this long.

24th of Felsite, Year 415

I wandered down to the lower levels today -- the old fortress. We still keep a handful of operational levers there, and it was my turn to activate the whatever-machine.

It's a very different place. The once bustling kitches and stills are nothing but a home to cave spiders.

... Maybe we can collect all these webs to turn into silk robes.

26th of Felsite, Year 415

A wandering pack of wild boar people is doing their part in fighting the invaders -- one of the creatures wrestled away a helmet, beat a dwarf to death with it, and is now in the process of beating another.

27th of Felsite, Year 415

The winter seems to be wearing the invaders down -- several have started bumbling around aimlessly, and found themselves at the bottom of the bogs.

Hopefully they drown.

4th of Hematite, Year 415

Work continues in the tower, while on the beach, the invaders have started throwing tantrums. Fighting one another. Good. GOOD!

22nd of Hematite, Year 415

TwoTankards' wife made an excellent craft today -- a cabinet she dedicated to his memory.

He's dead, so he can't have it. I guess... someone more important will take it?

22nd of Malachite, Year 415

The citizens continue to prove their wrestling prowess -- today, one of the mechanics popped a crundles head with a single blow!

This happens relatively frequently, but this was a particularly messy affair. Worth noting in my journal.

12th of Sandstone, Year 415

It's mid fall now, and we've noticed a change in our citizens -- they all prefer to spend their time practicing, even when they aren't scheduled to.

I've talked with the scholars, and apparently, dwarves with incredible discipline will spend their free time training. Not praying. Or in the tavern making friends (and potential lovers). Training. Our dwarves are all -very- disciplined, being high masters, or legendary in the "field."

We're very proud of them, but it's likely time to dissolve the citizen wrestling squads. They need to socialize.

21st of Sandstone, Year 415

The siege has worn down the enemy more than us, but we're tired of waiting.

Several of the squads seperated themselves, so we sent the militia to take them out one at a time. They did good work.

24th of Timber, Year 415

Haha! Today, we finally get to use our jail cells! There's been a TAVERN BRAWL!

Sheriff Gronkle tied the offender up -- we're realizing we need to attach the chains to the walls so they can't just stand in the doorway.

Catten doesn't seem to upset about it. After this, he expressed his joy for being able to look at a fine restraint, a fine vertical bars, a fine table, a fine chair, a fine statue, and a fine bed. Excellent.

21st of Moonstone, Year 415

At the end of Catten's jail sentence, the Sheriff thought a beating was prudent.

He killed him. That makes two.

13th of Opal, Year 415

We managed to get our land-wall closed, and have seen a lot more fish lately.

But today, we saw something better. Far in the depths of the stormy, smoke covered sea, we saw the massive creature -- a great sea monster! From the depths!

These creatures are truly massive, their bones valuable, and are said to be immortal. The perfect stock.

Unfortunately for us, it managed to escape without getting stuck in our traps.

The engineers are coming up with new solutions.

1st of Granite, Year 416

And so the year ends. Spring brings renewed energy, and the sea monster sighting hope that our goals might be completed soon.

Truthfishes frolics merrily with her siblings every now and then and is very proud of her mother, although she literally has no idea what a necromancer does for a living.

There was an awful accident in the caverns, today. The dwarven child Turthfishes was, for Armok knows what reason, playing make-believe where the wild crundles roam.

One found her and (for 7 pages of combat), bit and shook her to death.

Her body was quickly recovered, and she was given a proper dwarven burial.

We've also ordered the militia to start killing the crundle, including Urolust, the slayer of Truthfishes.

8th of Felsite, Year 416

Today is a wonderful day for Conan, for we've captured a second cave dragon! We've released him from military service for the time being, so he can focus on the dragons.

The first egg was not fertile, so we ate it. We likely just didn't give the pair enough "time."

15th of Hematite, Year 416

It's been a good year for beasts -- we've captured what might be a breeding pair of giant cave spiders. Typically we might use these in a silk factory, but we're hoping to make better use of them than that.

23rd of Hematite, Year 416

Gloomy has claimed to have made an interesting discover, today. He claims to have discovered and developed suturing.

Curious, seeing as we've stutured the wounds of patients several times before. We're all a bit afraid to not let him take credit.

Gloomy is an odd dwarf -- it doesn't matter what he spends his time thinking about, it often seems to bring him anxiety or worry.

17th of Galena, Year 416

We've decided to make changes to our fishing system, and started draining it. It's made the ocean... angry, it seems. The waves are thrashing about, causing all sort of mayhem. Hopefully it clears up.

The baby dragons will be likely the size of small dogs when they're born, and won't be considered adult until they're 10. Even then, they'll be very small. It's likely they won't be a reasonable size for 100-200 years, so... this is a long term project that will likely be left for future generations.

24th of Timber, Year 416

We've started work on the fishing chamber. We've decided that we're going to hollow out a large cover, and build an organized system if levies to control water-flow. We'll then trap the entire coastline.

17th of Obsidian, Year 416

The baby dragons have been born today! Conan will start training them immediately.

26th of Obsidian, Year 416

We completed the new fishing trap. The gate mechanisms to the east and west of the traps can be inependently opened to flood or drain the chamber, as necessary. It's been entirely lined with cage traps.

Gloomy was seen putting another dwarf against the wall saying insane things about how the suturing the colony had done before was not 'true' suturing and that he is actually a god. He later calmed down and worried about what seems to be a fear of blood? An odd fear for a necromancer but no one is brave (stupid) enough to question this crazy dwarf on it apparently.

Mine die left and right, huh? Even though I haven't actually made a single one of them a warrior type.

I'd like my next to be a servant of Gloomy or any other necromancers you got walking around, can that be arranged? I'd like her name to be Trappedruby, please. If she can't be a servant, then maybe a cook again, or cheesemaker or potter, you know, the sort of thing I usually go for.

I remember reading about a fortress that ran for 200ish years, with only descendants of the original dwarves (no immigrants). They actually colonized hell, and used an army of grown-up, fortress-born dragons to kick the demons out.

Mine die left and right, huh? Even though I haven't actually made a single one of them a warrior type.

I'd like my next to be a servant of Gloomy or any other necromancers you got walking around, can that be arranged? I'd like her name to be Trappedruby, please. If she can't be a servant, then maybe a cook again, or cheesemaker or potter, you know, the sort of thing I usually go for.

1st of Granite, Year 417

One of the younger dwarves -- Trappedruby -- has expressed interest in apprenticing under the necromancers.

She should be considered an adult soon, and when she is, we'll set her up in the library as a scholar. If she proves her worth, maybe she can learn to be a necromancer herself.

It's also worth mentioning that an old friend -- Lagerbrew -- immigrated to the tower, recently. Good to have them back around.

3rd of Granite, Year 417

Hron the Tavern Keeper produced an item of incredible note, today -- a steel spear! An artifact of our people.

Moldath Championlances was a badass duck, so he's been given a proper burial.

15th of Slate, Year 417

AppliePie took over a workshop and produced a fanciful piece of furniture -- a family heirloom, she claims. We'll consider setting it up in their hovel.

Perhaps just as importantly, we've finished an engineering project:

We're sick of chasing crundles around the caverns, when we should be trying to catch more interesting beasts. We've built an enclosed "sorting" unit that captures all the animals that wander near our stairs.

Mostly we use it to drop creeping eyes, crundles, and floating guts into the magma sea.

Anything we'd like to keep, we let through the door to the cage traps! A wonderful system, albeit not a very automated one.

14th of Hematite, Year 417

Dwarves have been telling stories of a ghost wandering the tower, and today, we learned the stories were true!

The vengeful spirit of a long-passed miner took its anger out on Pumpkin -- Gronkle and ApplePie's only remaining daughter.

There wasn't even a chance to fight back -- just a murder. We've quickly put the spirit to rest, and done the same to Pumpkin.

14th of Malachite, Year 417

We've decided to slaughter the first batch of dragon hatchlings. Conan... ran into some trouble with the law and spent 150 days locked up in the jails (something something fistfight after Hron served a few too many mugs of Carrot wine). For some reason, he refuses to train this batch of dragons.

Maybe we'll have better luck with the next clutch.

Roughcircle will turn them into delicious roasts, no doubt.

11th of Opal, Year 417

Our summer and fall vanished quickly, as we were mostly focused on working with the cave-creature sorting device, and letting the fish traps fill up (we've caught a few sharks, but no breeding pairs).

Among the garbage "artifacts" produced, there was one of interest -- a spear made of the bones of a forgotten beast! Perhaps not the sharpest spear, but one worth wielding in any case.

1st of Granite, Year 418

Another good year for the fortress!

Our dwarves are staying productive, and are doing well to form friendships (and making babies).

Conan is doing pretty well, and im portantly, "doesn't really care about anything anymore." He seems bored being out of the military, but we do need him working on the dragons constantly.

Gronkle has been removed from his Sherrif position -- he's too harsh. That said, he's doing well. We've just noticed he likes dwarven milk, which is produced by milking purring maggots. We'll see about getting some so he stops complaining about the food.

Thankfully he doesn't seem to care about much anymore. He's a badass dwarf who has lost 2 daughters. Tantruming would be bad.

He needs to get on making a few more.

Gloomy is doing well, but is anxious and weird as always. He's developing a serious sense of humor, as well.

Oglav and the necromancer Melbil continue to be prolific breeders (up to 7 kids, now). They're definitely contributing to our societies gene pool with a fierceness.

ApplePie has picked up Gloomy's habit for anxiety while researching things. We may kick her out of the library for a while so she can focus on having more children.

Hron continues to serve up drinks at the tavern, making lots of friends, and producing a decent amount of children. There have been plenty of brawls lately, so he's definitely doing a good job.

It is curious we've had no visitors, though. The tavern is open for everyone.

ApplePie has picked up Gloomy's habit for anxiety while researching things. We may kick her out of the library for a while so she can focus on having more children.

Occasionally when she can't be found elsewhere, her husband might drag her out of the schist cabinet she created and maybe try to talk her into having more babies. Sitting inside the cabinet all on her lonesome helps her think, or so she says. But for the most part she spends her 'cabinet thinking time' staring blankly into the darkness.

ApplePie has picked up Gloomy's habit for anxiety while researching things. We may kick her out of the library for a while so she can focus on having more children.

Occasionally when she can't be found elsewhere, her husband might drag her out of the schist cabinet she created and maybe try to talk her into having more babies. Sitting inside the cabinet all on her lonesome helps her think, or so she says. But for the most part she spends her 'cabinet thinking time' staring blankly into the darkness.

"Coming out of the cabinet" must be the dwarfish phrasing for getting over "having seen too much."

Logged

Quote from: Dalmeth

I've come to the conclusion that relaxing is not the lack of doing anything, but doing something that comes easily to you.